Contact switch



W. KAISLING CONTACT SWITCH Filed May V5. 1923 `Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STTES Parar orifice.

WILLIAM KAISLING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG SWITCHBOARD .AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CONTACT SWITCH.

Application filed. May 3, 1923. Serial No. 636,438.

My invention relates to a switching mechanism such as is used in radio or wireless receiving sets for controlling and changing the condition of certain circuit arrangement in such receiving sets.

rior to my invention, the contact points, to which are connected Yconductors extending from certain apparatus ot' the receiver set, for example the conductors leading from the taps of the variocoupler, are mounted in the iront panel of the cabinet and the contact switch arm for engaging the Contact points, is also mounted on the front panel. This manner of mounting the contact points and contact switch arm is objectional for the reason that in order to remove the variocoupler from the set or cabinet in which it is enclosed it is necessary to remove the contact points from the panel or to cut the conductors connecting the variocoupler with the Contact points, thus necessitating much worl; and also the destruction of the connecting conductors. An objection is that the contact points and contact switch arm are exposed to dust and dirt whereby poor Contact between the switch arm and .contact points is liab'le to occur.

An object ot my invention is the provision ot means tor mounting the Contact points and contact switch arm to form a unitary structure so that the same may be mounted on the back oitl the 'liront panel as a unit and enclosed in the cabinet, and should it be desired to remove the apparatus connected to the #Contact points, all that is necessary is to 'remove a screw which secures my contact point and switch arm carrying unit to the iront panel which will permit said apparatus to be removed.

Another feature oli' my invention is the manner in which the terminals for receiving external conductors are secured to the contact points.

The above mentioned features, as well as others will be pointed out more in detail in the ensuing specification and for a clearer understanding of the same, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters in the several views denote like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my invention showing the manner in which the same is secured in its mounted position;

Fig, 2 is a right side plan view of Fig. 1;

.Figa 3 is a sectional view of my invention;

Fig. t is a left side plan view of Fig. 1;

F ig is a view showing a modified form of my invention; and Y Fig. 6 is another view of the modification of my invention.

Referring now more in detail to my invention, 1 is a flat round piece of suitable non-conducting material, around and near the periphery of which I mount a plurality or' terminals 2 and contact points 3 and as each terminal 2 and each contact point 3 is the same and mounted in the same identical manner a description of the construction and mounting of one will su'lhce.

IThe contact point 3 is cylindrical in shape and has a head 4 at one end which has a hollowed out portion 5, the other end of contact point 3 is hollowed out to form an opening 6. The terminal 2 comprises two halves 2 and 22, each half being so shaped that its end 7 extends parallel to and en-L.

gages the end 7 of the other half of terminal 2 Vand its opposite end portion 8 engages the side of the mounting member 1 and a shoulder 9 is provided which engages the peripheral edge of the member l. The halves 2 and 22 ot terminal 2 are. secured in position on the member 1 by the contact point 3 which extends through a suitable opening in the half 2 and then through an opening in the member 1 and an opening in the halt 22. A cylindrical member 20 is then slipped over the end of the contact point 3 and brought into engagement with the half 22 of terminal 2, whereupon the end of said contact point 3 is spun over by a spinning operation to prevent the removal of said contact point 3, and displacement of said member 20 whereby the halves of said terminal 2 are secured to the member 1. The terminal 2 is provided with an opening 10 for receiving an external conductor.

The mounting piece 1 has a central opening 11, and secured to said mounting piece 1 is a pair of supporting members 12 and 13, by means of screws 14 which extend through suitable openings in member 12 and mounting piece 1 and then have screwthreaded engagement with suitable tapped oriiices in member 13. The free ends of the members 12 and 13 extend slightly beyond the center of the opening 11 in piece 1.

I pair of spring contact wipers 15 and 16 are :so positioned the reduced end of the member` 17 protruding` beyond the Contact wiper, is staked kover whereby thev contactvwiper is secured in position on the member 17 against displacement.

secured on the cylindrical member 17 parallel to eachother. The free end of each contact wiper is enlarged and arcuate `shaped, the arcuate shaped end portion of con- .tactwiper 15` being adapted to engage t-he hollowed ont portion 5of the contact point 3 and the arcuate shaped portion of Contact wiper 16v being adapted to engage the spun over end of said contact point 3 and washer 1,20. To support the contactwipers in operative position relative to the contact points 3 andmembers 20, a rotatableA shaft 21 is providedwhich extends through asuitable opening, in the supporting Y member 12, through a central openingv` in the cylindrical member 17 and; through a suitable opening in the member' 13. The openings in the members 12 and, 13 are of such size so as to permit rotatioirof the shaft 21 and in or-V ,der to prevent rotation of the shaft21 in the member 17 a set screw 22 is provided which extends V.through and has screw-threaded engagement with a, suitable tapped orifice in the side of said member 17 whereby the endl of, saidscrew 22 will engage the shaft 21 soy thatvwhen the shaft 21 is rotated the member'17 and4 the vcontact wipers-15 and 16 .will rotate-,in they same direction with v the shaft 21 one side of the shaft 21 is saidshaft, and the'arcuate shaped ends of Contact wipers will ride over the4 heads of contact points 3, washers 20 and spun over ends of said contact points 3 respectively. The wipersl and 16 have` aspringeiiect which insures positive contact and also servesv throughthe medium of their acuate shapedends to maintain said wipersin engagement with the contact point to which they have been rotated. The form of the wipers .and contacts produce a snap action. To, limit theextent of rotation of the contact wipersandv to prevent their disassociation with the contact points 3 and washersv 20, a pair of stop pins y23 and 24 areiprovided and secured. to the membersr12 and 13 -respectively, ,which stop 5 pins are` adapted to ybe engagedr by` the contact-wipers 15and 16-respectively. By providing a pairtof contact wipers and securingfthem lin the The con-tact wipers 15 and. 16 Y 4are of the same length and shape and are I arovi'de said panel 35 manner just described the possibility of the binding` of the shaft 21 is entirely eliminated as would be the case were only one wiper employed.

A. terminal 26, for receiving an external conductor, and a washer 27 are secured to -the sumortine member 13 b l*means-of a 26 to the contact wipers 15and 16. In Figs.

5 and 6 I show a modification of my invention wherein l dispense with the use of the helically wound .conductor 29 and in this modilicatioml provide a` spade member 32 which hasv its split end 33 engaging a suitable groove 33 in the shaft 21 and its other end clamped between the terminal 26 and washerl 27 whereby a closed circuit is provided from the terminal 26` to the contact wipers.

To support the unitary structure of my invention on the mounting panel 35 (Fig. 1) with a suitable opening, through which the endof the shaft 21 protrudes to permit the supporting member 12 to engage the back face of said mounting panel, and to secure the unitary structure in this position a screw 36 is provided which eHt-ends'tlirough a suitable opening in the panel 35 and then has screw-threaded engagement with a suitable tapped orifice inthe supporting member 12.

For rotating the shaft 21 and the wipers 15 and 16, I provide a thumb and linger knob 37 which has an opening for receiving the end of the shaft 21 and is held thereon by means of` a frictional engagement, and-in order to prevent rotation of the knob 37 on shaved or flattened to form a flat surface 38, and which flat surface is adapted to be engaged by the flat turned back end 39 `of the indicator().secured in saidknob' 37. The mountingv panel may be suitably marked or graduated and the contact wipers 15 and 16 adjusted parallel to the indicatorl-O so that the operator may know at any time by observing the indicator 110, Vthe particular contact point engaged by thecontact wipers.

In order to remove the. unitary structure of my invention from the panel all that is necessary, isto remove the kneb37 and screw From the foregoing it is at once obvious that I have assembled the contact points V,and wipers and other parts to form a unitary structure which may be mounted `on and dismounted from the back of the mounting CIK panel Without interferring with any part ot said unitary structure. I/hile I have described and illustrated a particular structure of my invention it is to be understood that changes and modifications may readily suggest themselves, and I do not Wish to be limited to the exact structure as shown and described but intend to cover all, that may come Within the spirit and scope ot the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. In a device ot the characterI described, a Hat cylindrical supporting member, a terminal, a pin and a Washer for litting over and engaging one end of .said pin, said pin and Washer adapted to engage said terminal to secure the same on said supporting member, spring contact Wipers rotatably supported on said supporting member so that said spring Contact Wipers will engage said pin and Washer on opposite sides thereof, means for closing a circuit through said spring contact Wipers to lsaid terminal, and means tor permitting said device to be secured as a unit to a suitable mounting` member.

2. In a unitary structure of the character described, a Hat circular mounting member, aV plurality of terminals, pins and cylindrical members for engaging said pins, said pins and cylindrical members adapted to secure said terminals on the periphery ol said mounting member, spring contact wipers rotatably supported on said mounting member and in operative association with said pins and cylindrical members, said contact Wipers adapted to have contactual engagement with only one of said pins and one of said cylindrical members at the same time when said Wipers are in a resting position, and means for permitting` said unitary structure to be mounted as a Whole to another mounting member.

3. In a unitary structure of the character described, a flat circular mounting member, a plurality of terminals, pins and cylindrical members for securing said terminals on said mount-ing member, each end of said pins provided with a holloived out portion, spring contact Wipers, means for rotatably supporting said contact wipers on said mounting member, said spring contact Wipers having arcuate shaped end portions for engaging the holloivcd out portions of said pins at their opposite ends whereby said contact Wipers are adapted to have contactual engagement with anyone of said pins and cylindrical members, and to be maintained in engagement by said arcuate shaped ends and holloived out portions, a mounting panel and means for securing said unitary structure on said mounting panel.

4l. In a unitary structure of the character described, a Hat circular mounting` member, a plurality of terminals, pins and cylindrical members for securing said terminals on said mounting member, each end of said pins provided With, a hollowed out portion, a pair of spring cont-act Wipers, means for rotatably supporting said pair ot contact Wipers on said mounting member and parallel to each other, said spring contact Wipers having arcuate shaped end portions for engaging the holloived out portions of said pins whereby said contact Wipers are adapted to have contact-ual engagement with anyone ot' said pins and cylindrical members, means secured on said first means Jfor closing a circuit through said pair of contact Wipers, a mounting panel, means for securing said unitary structure on the back of said mounting panel, and means for rotating said pair of spring contact Wipers.

5. In a unitary structure of the character described, a at circular mounting member, a. plurality of terminals, pins and cylindrical members for engaging said pins, said pins and cylindrical members adapted to secure said terminals on the periphery oit' said mounting members, spring contact Wipers rotatably supported on said mounting member and in operative association with said pins and cylindrical members, said contact Wipers adapted to have contactual engagement with only one of said pins and one of said cylindrical members at the same time when said Wipers are in their resting position, stop pins for preventing the dis-association o't' said contact Wipers and said pins and cylindrical members, a mounting panel, and means for securing said unitary structure on one side of said mounting panel.

6. A device of the character described including a mounting piece, a plurality of terminals, means for securing the terminals to opposite sides of the mounting piece, a supporting member to which said mounting piece is fastened, a pair of contact Wipers rotatably supported by said supporting member positioned on opposite sides ot' said mounting piece and adapted to malte electrical contact With said terminals one ata time, a shaft rotatably supporting said contact Wipers and in turn supported by said supporting member, all forming a unitary structure, and means including said shaft and supporting member for securing the device as a Whole to a mounting panel.

7. A device of the character described including a mounting member having stationary contacts, a supporting member attached to said mounting member, and a rotary sha-tt and a contact Wiper supported by said supporting member, said shaft having an orifice enclosing a spring member having its one end connected to said supporting member.

8. A device of the character described including :a -mounting 'memben a. supporting member attached thereto, stationary contacts secured to saidmounting'memben a rotatable lshaft and Va -Wiper rotatably secured to said supporting member for contacting with said contacts, said rotatable shaft having an orifice,1and'means extending Without said orifice for insuring positive conneetionzbetween said Wiper and said supporting uneinber.

.9. A device-of theV character described including amount-ing membcrhaving stationary-contacts,"a supporting member secured to said 'mountino' .member, a rotary shaft and 'a Wiper supported by said supporting member, said Wiper adapted'to make contact With said contacts, and .yielding` means having its opposite endsconnected to said supporting memberand said shaft for insuring positive electrical connection between said shaft and said-supporting member.

10. VAzdevice'of the character describedincluding amounting plate having stationary contacts lon yopposite sides thereof, asupporting member and apair of rotatable contact makersrpositionedon lopposite sides of said mounting plate all forming a unitary structure, a shaft for-said pair of contact makers,.and means including said shaft and saidrsupporting.member tor see iring a de- Vice as a unit-t0 a mounting panei.

11. A device of the characte described including a mounting member, terminais appearing'upon opposite sides thereof', rivets having contacting surfaces securing said terminals together and to said mounting member, Ya supporting member attached to said mounting member, and a pair of rotatablezoontact Wipers supported by said supporting m'emberand positioned on opposite sides of said' mounting member for engaging thecontacting surfaces oiu said rivets.

12. 4A device. of the character described including va Circular mounting member, angular terminal strips appearing on opposite sides of said mounting member, meansvextending through said terminal strips and said Amounting fmember securing oppositely positioned terminals to said mounting member, `a rotatable shaft `having a pair 01"' Wipers Aappearing lvupon opposite sides 'of said mounting member, andamember for rotating said shaft'to -cause said wipersto engagethe opposite sides of thermeans Which secures the terminal strips to.` said mounting member.

13. A device of the character described including a circular Vmounting member, angular terminal strips appearing on opposite sides of said mountingmember, means extending through said terminal stripand said mounting member securing oppositely positioned terminalsto' said niountingwmem'- ber, a rotatable. shat't'having `apair of Wipers appearing vupon Vopposite sides 'of said mounting member, member t'or rotating said shaft to cause: said Wipers .to engage the vopposite sides of :the means which secures thc-'terminal stripsrto saidmounting member, a supporting member `:'for said shaft, and yieldingmeans'for insuring` contact between said rotatablesshaft land said supporting member.

l/i. A device ofthe characterdescribed including a circular vmounting imember, terminal strips appearing upon opposite sides oit said'mountingimember andihaving their tree ends in Contact, means securing said terminal strips to.- said' mounting membeiyand a `pair otl rotatable.contactmahers positioned on 'opposite sides of saidfmounting member for engaging saidfmeans.

i5. A device of the character described including a mounting member, terminal strips haring offset portions appearing on opposite sides or" said mounting member and having their free endsin contact,connecting means extending through said ijnountingmember and saiditerminal strips to secure the terminals strips'tothe mounting member, and awpair of rotatably supported Contact makers positioned on opposite sides of said mounting member for engaging said securingmeans-to malte electrical Contact therewith.

Signed byv me at' ("ghicago,v in the countyv of Cook and State oiilllinoisythis Q'thday of April 1923.

WILLIAM iraisLrNe.V 

